Celebrating life at Barchester

Residents shared a deeply moving and memorable experience by attending a special Armistice Day Service held at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School. The intergenerational event beautifully honoured those who had fallen in conflict and demonstrated the children’s profound respect for the day.

The service provided a solemn yet uplifting atmosphere for remembrance, the residents, some of whom have direct memories or connections to wartime, joined the children and staff in prayer and in observing the two-minute silence. This shared moment of quite reflection underscored the importance of remembering the sacrifices made by previous generations.

Activities Co-ordinator Tina said: “The performance was wonderful, the residents, many of whom have vivid memories of the era, for them it was deeply moving. A real touching element of the service was the tribute created by the pupils, they created handcrafted poppies that were then planted in the school field at the end of the service. The poppies had poignant words written on them by the children, it was simply a powerful and tangible way to honour the fallen.”

General Manager Larisa Bledea said: “The morning service held at the school meant so much to our residents, and to have these close links with the school really provides the intergenerational connections for both our residents and the school. The children engaged in the service so respectfully, and the kind words of appreciation from our residents on their return were beautiful to hear.”

Hazel Lodge has joined forces with other volunteers and businesses to help Battle Poppy Appeal turn the town red with poppies to mark Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day 2025.

11th November signifies the signing of the Armistice Day agreement on the day that the guns finally fell silent at the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month. As well as wearing poppies, sharing memories and observing the national two-minute silence, residents and staff have been busy over the past few weeks transforming plastic bottles into beautiful red poppies that can be found decorating roundabouts and other communal areas around the town of Battle.

Kieran and Deborah Doyle from Battle Poppy Appeal, said “Sharon and the team made hundreds of amazing plastic poppies for the town. True Community spirit. We couldn’t recommend Hazel Lodge more highly.”

Sharon Ward, Home Services Advisor at Hazel Lodge, said: “It is very important that we keep the memories of those who fought alive and that we also think about those involved in conflicts around the world today. We’ve loved being able to support Kieran and the Battle Poppy Appeal and to see our small contribution come together in remembrance with the other amazing Poppy displays around the town.”
 

We had such a lovely afternoon when the Battle Rainbows ( Girl Guides) came to see us recently . We heard all about the things they've been doing and they even treated us to a little song they've been learning . Many of our residents were able to tell their own story of being in the Girl Guides . The Rainbows are the youngest of the Guides being between 4-7 years old and do fun activities such as singing, games and making things . The residents loved chatting to the girls and we can't wait to see them again soon.

Celebrations have been in full swing recently when we had the absolute pleasure of celebrating a very special resident's 104th birthday at Hazel Lodge.

Edith Walker – known fondly as Pat, was joined by her daughter Jane and other relatives for a special birthday lunch prepared by the hospitality team at the home .

Pat who was born in 1921 grew up in Mansfield, Nottingham and went into the RAF as a WAAF RT Operator during the war. Stationed near to Ipswich Pat found life very different to living with her parents but took it all in her stride learning new things. When the war came to an end Pat was transferred to West Malling in Kent where she met her future husband who was an aircraft fitter in the RAF and had served in Africa during the war. Shortly after meeting the couple married and lived with Pat’s Mother-in-law for a few years before moving to Burwash where they had their beautiful daughter Jane. Pat had many happy years at home where later Jane cared for her before making the move to Hazel Lodge in 2023.

After lunch, Pat was joined by local members of RAF, residents and staff as they toasted her milestone birthday and enjoyed a slice of cake made for an extraordinary and very special lady.

Sue Fender kindly attended Melbourn Springs this morning to hold a heartfelt Remembrance Service to honour and remember the brave men and women who served and sacrificed for our freedom. Residents, staff, and friends came together, said prayers and sang Hymns and to reflect, share memories, and observe the 2 minute silence, paying tribute to those who will never be forgotten. Thank you to all who attended..

Residents and team members from Melbourn Springs Care Home were honoured to take part in the Remembrance Sunday Parade through Melbourn Village.

It was a wonderful turnout from the local community, with a moving service that brought people together to pay their respects. Watching the wreaths being laid was a particularly touching moment, reminding everyone of the sacrifices made and the importance of remembrance.

Acting Home Manager Vimu said, “We were privileged to be part of such a meaningful occasion. It was heartwarming to see so many people come together to honour and remember.”

Melbourn Springs would like to thank everyone involved in organising and participating in the parade and service.

Our residents had a wonderful time this week getting creative with Andrea during our Decoupage Arts & Crafts session! 🎨🖌️
For those who haven’t tried it before, decoupage is the art of decorating objects by gluing on layers of beautifully cut paper... think flowers, patterns and all sorts of designs ....and sealing them with varnish to create a smooth, painted-on look. The word decoupage actually comes from the French word “découper,” meaning “to cut out.” ✂️
Everyone’s creativity truly shone through, and the finished pieces were very impressive.
Fun fact: Decoupage has been popular since the 17th century and was once used to decorate furniture for European royalty 👑 - so our residents have been crafting like kings and queens!
💖 A huge thank-you to Andrea for guiding such a joyful, hands-on session. We can’t wait for the next creative adventure at Farley Gardens!

GMF Music has become a cherished and regular presence in our home, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Greg for once again gracing us with his enchanting performances. The day was truly filled with the wondrous power of music, bringing joy to every corner of our community. Greg's visit touched the lives of all our residents, as he made his way through the hallways, individual rooms, and communal lounges, engaging with everyone he met.

The profound impact of music on our home and residents is unmistakable, as their faces light up with delight in his presence. Live musical entertainment is a cornerstone of our life enrichment program, and resident involvement in choosing genres and providing feedback after each performance allows us to continually enhance our activities calendar. We are committed to ensuring that the magic of music continues to uplift and inspire everyone in our community.